


If only they'd kissed

by idk_ilike5sos



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Theo Raeken, Insecure Liam Dunbar, M/M, Oblivious Liam Dunbar, Scared Liam Dunbar, Some Humor, Supportive Scott McCall (Teen Wolf)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:02:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26293837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idk_ilike5sos/pseuds/idk_ilike5sos
Summary: My interpretation of what would have happened if Theo and Liam kissed in the elevator scene in s6e20. Then I added an insecure/scared Liam for some flavour and angst and came up with this.
Relationships: Corey Bryant/Mason Hewitt, Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken, Lydia Martin/Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall/Malia Tate
Comments: 21
Kudos: 130





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A chapter will be uploaded daily until it's complete.

"I'm not dying for you." The words cut Liam easier than a hot knife through butter. Not that he understood why. This was Theo: the selfish, evil monster that had only ever acted to benefit himself. It made sense. He never assumed Theo _would_ die for him. But something didn't sit right after hearing it.

"I'm not dying for you either." Yet, he retaliated - as he always did - rather than think of it as anything. Maybe it was just panic at the thought of dying? That was what he told himself anyway.

Liam gulped, swallowing the lie they both knew they had told. He noticed Theo taking a quick glance at his lips before realising he was doing the same. Everything inside him told him to look away or say something else, something that would prevent the inevitable that only he wasn't aware of. But he chose to stay put, despite it. The voice in the back of his head seemed to be the only thing he could hear. It sounded a lot like Mason.

His eyes had become settled on Theo's mouth and he bit down on his bottom lip as his heart began to pick up. Theo came closer, with each small step he took, every interaction they'd had since Theo came back from hell started to make sense; as did the butterflies that he could feel crashing in his stomach. Liam lifted his helpless-filled eyes to meet Theo's, he was barely able to hold back the chills that ran through once Theo had cupped the side of his face.

Theo's lips came slow and tender, unlike anything Liam could have imagined. He would assume that Theo would be more aggressive, since that was the only facade he chose to wear around anyone, rather than it moving Liam as it did. So perfect and easy to fall in love with. Liam had always known that Theo was the type of guy some could fall for with just a glance, but he didn't know that he had the ability to make someone do so whilst having their eyes closed.

During the brief moment, Liam wouldn't have been able to flaw him if his life depended on it. Though he soon felt Theo pull back and only then he realised he'd not moved to kiss him back. Theo left a few inches between their lips and rested his forehead against Liam's.

"Why did you do that?" Liam felt himself whisper before his mind could catch up to stop him.

"I, um," Theo frowned and batted his eyes at an attempt to knock some form of sense into himself. He cleared his throat, "I don't know."

Liam nodded then tilted his head upwards to catch Theo's lips on his once again. If possible, the second kiss was better than the last. An edge of roughness contrasting how gently Theo held Liam. But, just like the first, it had to end eventually. Reality had started to shadow over them and they knew that any more similar contact would have to wait.

•

Liam wasn't sure what it was that caused it or why it happened, but doubt had crossed his mind within the short period of time they couldn't spend expressing their emotions. It was ridiculous. He knew it was. But he couldn't help but let the overwhelming thought of it being wrong consume him.

The anuk-ite had been defeated and the pack met up at the hospital to recite their events. Liam decided it was the perfect time to pull Theo aside and... well, he wasn't quite sure yet. Nonetheless, he took his phone out of his pocket and texted Theo from less than five feet away.

**Can we talk?**

As what can only be described as anxiety clawed at his throat and chest, he watched with uncertainty. The message came through with a ping no one but he and Theo heard. Theo checked his phone and looked up to see Liam's eyes on him.

**Yeah.**

Liam began to step away and stopped in a nearby room where they could be alone. Theo entered shortly after.

"Why did you kiss me? It was stupid. And you ruined everything," Liam said as he fiddled with his jacket. It was quiet for a few seconds too long and Liam started to question whether or not he'd imagined Theo coming in. But when he peered up, he found the boy froze a few feet away.

"What?" He blinked himself conscious.

"You shouldn't have kissed me." He did his best to cover that Mason-sounding voice in his head with his own.

"You kissed me back."

"Well... I shouldn't have." It sounded like a lie, at least Liam knew it did, but the hurt and betrayal that Theo held said otherwise. "It was wrong."

"How was it?" He wasn't surprised to find out Theo dealt with pain through anger and becoming defensive instead of sadness and vulnerability.

"Because Scott-"

"Because of Scott? You're kidding, right?" Theo raised his eyebrows and waited for Liam to confess that it was some awful joke. It didn't come. "Unbelievable."

"Well, what did you expect to happen? I'd stab everyone in the back for you?" Liam hated the sour taste that coated his mouth more intensely with each lie he told. Theo didn't reply. Unfortunately, Liam knew that the only way to get out of this was to make it worse. "I can't risk them for you. I mean, you're... you and I'm-"

"Good? Because, apparently, that's the opposite of me."

"No, that's not-"

"Really? Then why is it that I shouldn't have kissed you again?"

"Because of Scott."

"Because you're too busy being his little bitch to see that I'm not a bad person anymore." Theo was shaking with fury and the feeling of being ripped apart as he held back tears.

"I'm not his bitch!" Liam couldn't make himself comment on the last part without falling apart.

"Seriously? That's all you got out of that?" Liam had to divert his eyes to hide that he was about to cry too. It broke his heart to see the person he cared for so destroyed from his own doing. Maybe he was the selfish one all along.

"How do I even know that you kissed me for any reason but to use me again? For all I know, you just want another chance to kill Scott." He couldn't help it anymore. He didn't mean a word he said but they kept coming. Theo was stunned and it looked like he'd been physically shot. Then he took a deep breath and his voice became almost calm.

"The thing is Liam, Scott wouldn't even care. As long as you were happy and safe then he'd let you do whatever you want. And you know that... But, like you said, what did I expect? A co-dependent little bitch like you to stick your head out of Scott's ass for a second to understand that people change? It was stupid of me."

Theo left the room. Once the door completely closed Liam fell to his knees and lost the ability to hold his tears back.

Twenty minutes must have passed when Mason came in and kneeled in front of him.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"I really fucked up." He sobbed through the hands that covered his face.

"What do you mean? You did awesome today. Sure, not everyone survived, but you still did your best to save everyone you could." Mason rested his hand on Liam's shoulder and did his best to comfort his best friend.

"No, it's not that... It's Theo."

Mason was confused, so urged Liam to explain, "What do you mean? What happened with Theo?"

So, Liam told him. Everything. From the painfully good feeling that scratched at him whenever they were together up until Theo leaving him behind in that very room.


	2. Chapter 2

It'd been a week since Liam blew up on Theo. He'd tried to apologise through ignored texts and unanswered calls, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. So, desperate times called for desperate measures: and he asked Mason to text him.

Liam was supposed to meet them at a park near the school. It was mostly empty, since the sun had begun to set and the sky now presented itself with a gradient of burnt oranges and soft pinks, but a few kids still stuck around and didn't look to be leaving any time soon. Mason hadn't replied to Liam's questions of Theo's appearance or not and it was tearing him apart on the inside. He needed to see him, to talk to him, to kiss him again.

As if he knew that Liam was getting too deep into his own head, Mason's car pulled up in the parking lot across the street. Liam stood from the bench and jogged towards the car. The jog turned into a run that stopped abruptly a foot in front of his friend, his eyes wandered behind him in search for the face he so desperately wanted to see.

"He's not coming, is he?" Liam's gaze fell and he found himself realising how stupid he was to think that Theo would show up.

"He didn't reply to my texts either..."

They made their way back to the lone bench Liam had been occupying, not allowing a hushed whisper of wind to interrupt their poetic sound of nothingness. Liam dropped himself down and Mason hesitantly followed.

"Maybe it's a good thing he hasn't replied." Liam shot his friend a scowl that had been merged between hurt and irritation, "I mean, after all, he is still Theo." He flinched at the reminder of his similar words, though his were lies.

"He's not that person anymore, he's good. You saw it yourself, he took Gabe's pain and he's saved my life more times then I'd like to admit." His expression softened to a grieving frown. "He's changed... And I really like the person he's become."

Liam smiled to himself as memories flooded his mind: from Theo pushing him into the elevator, to their fighting at the zoo. Theo was good now and he cared about him - they cared about each other. They _needed_ each other.

"I still don't trust him," Mason said softly.

"You don't have to, just trust me."

Mason sighed and gave a small nod, "Okay, okay, I trust you."

The two looked onwards to the park across the field, where three children had yet to leave from; the sun hid their faces into masked silhouettes. One, that looked to be a girl of about eleven, sloppily climbed a ladder and pushed herself down a steel slide that looked like it could burn you alive if put in the wrong heat. Another of the three, looked like a boy old enough to be their age and Liam amused the thought of it being Theo. He sat alone swaying peacefully on the swingset and had his head down - probably staring at a phone. The last of them seemed to be half the age of the other girl, she swung herself carelessly between rungs on the monkey bars. The gap between the girl and floor looked almost taller than her and Liam momentarily wanted to run over and get her down then shout at the irresponsible teen on the swing. He soon came to his senses though and realised he only wanted to do so so that he could be mad at someone else for a second. It was a depressing realisation, to say the least.

"So, let's say you're right, he has changed and now you've gone and potentially ruined any chances you had with him-"

"Je, thanks, Mase," Liam rolled his eyes.

" _Then,_ " Mason emphasised to regain his attention, "sitting around and sulking about it won't get him back."

"But he won't answer me and I don't know where he lives," He huffed, clearly feeling like Mason hadn't been listening at all.

"Okay, first of all, even if you did know where he lives, don't go there - it's kinda stalkerish and would definitely end in broken limbs or sex: and I don't think you're ready for either of those things." Liam couldn't help but smirk as he ignored the first of the possibilities. "Dude, focus." Mason pushed Liam's shoulder.

"Sorry," He cleared his throat.

"And, second of all, it doesn't matter if he doesn't answer texts because he still has to come to pack meetings - since he's also in danger if Beacon Hills is, which it is a lot."

Liam sat up straight and looked at Mason in pure glee and hope. "And I can pull him aside during a pack meeting then get him back!"

"Yep," He grinned, both proud of himself and grateful for Liam's now lack of misery.

"Great, now, what do I do?"

"Well, I don't really know Theo that well-"

"Please, Mason, I suck at this stuff," Liam pleaded.

"Fine..." He sighed and looked away in thought for a moment, "Corey likes big gestures, I guess, so that could work. Oh, and remember, actions speak a lot louder than words - so don't speak too much." Liam nodded and took in every word Mason poured into him.

Not long after, Mason got a call from Corey and said he had to leave, Liam didn't protest since his issue had been solved.

He remained on the bench for a while longer - the whole time having the three kids still in the park. The closer Liam looked the more his brain convinced him of the teenager actually being Theo, but he didn't want to get closer to investigate at the risk of embarrassment from being wrong. Besides, he didn't recognise the scent.

Liam decided to leave when only a fraction of the sun remained. And he slept peacefully that night with the thought of being able to see Theo the following morning at the weekly pack meeting.

•

Liam couldn't keep still. His heart was thumping miraculously and his thoughts were racing like it was their profession. Each time someone new entered the animal clinic Liam tensed and couldn't take his eyes off the door until seeing their face. Granted, he knew who everyone was before they were visible but he didn't want to risk being tangled by surprise when Theo entered. If Theo entered.

Scott noticed. _Everyone_ noticed. But no one said anything. Liam assumed they thought he was anxious about Monroe still being on the loose: Mason was the only exception to the theory. He hadn't had the plan ran by him, they didn't have time alone to do so, so Liam found himself not being the only one scented like a Stiles knockoff.

Soon enough each member, plus necessary adults, had arrived. Everyone except Theo. Liam had started to lose hope in not only him turning up but ever seeing him again. It was breaking him.

"Okay, let's get started. Sheriff, Argent, any updates on Monroes last seen location?" Scott said, easily slipping into his alpha status. Liam didn't care to listen past that though. Instead, he focused in on tracing none existent circles on Deaton's metal table - where so many wounded supernaturals had rested. He wondered how long it would take for him to be one of the many, he wondered how many times he should've been if it weren't for Theo.

A new set of footsteps came into the room, coming with more familiarity than most of the others. Liam's head shot up when putting the pieces together and caught the eye of the person he'd been so desperate to be near again. The pack became quiet as Liam scrambled to stand straight with his palms slapped on the table, he stared at Theo needily whilst he only glanced tentatively.

It was time. All attention was on them, there was only the sound of Liam's trembling heart playing in his ears and he couldn't control his urge. Liam strutted around the table and few people between them then cupped Theo's face and pulled him in. He'd missed him more than he'd known, it had all only really hit him when their lips collided again, though.

The touch his lips imprinted on Liam drove him insane, but it was temporary. So temporary that it barely existed. Theo's lips had been pulled off as soon as they met. Liam opened his eyes to meet Theo's watching him in a mix of fear and disgust. In a brief moment, he questioned everything: if what had happened in the elevator was just a fragment of his imagination or if Theo had even been in the elevator in the first place. Had Liam really even met Theo before? Or was he who he had said he was when Liam first thought they met - was he just an old friend to Scott and Stiles? Was he nothing to Liam?

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Theo's voice came low and rough, filled to the brim with pain and Liam almost felt satisfaction in finding out that he hadn't imagined everything. But that meant Theo hadn't pulled away because Liam was a stranger, but because he hated Liam for what he'd done. And he understood why.

"I'm sorry... I- I couldn't help it." Liam shrugged and his eyes fell to his shoes. He then became hyperaware of all his friends watching them and wished he had waited until after the meeting.

"Well, learn to." Theo turned and left, his shoulder barging into Liam's as he did so.

The room was silent. Deathly silent. Like everyone thought if someone said anything too soon the room would explode. It's just, no one knew when too soon ended.

"Okay, am I missing something?" Of course, it was Malia to break the deafening echos of chaos inside Liam's brain. He took a deep breath in then faced the many people watching incoherently.

"Well, guys, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," Liam announced, thinking himself through each line of Mason's coming out that he could remember.

"Yeah, no shit," Stiles scoffed. Lydia subtly batted his arm then looked back to Liam with a soft smile, the only one of the faces who seemed to be doing so - most of the rest looking as lost as Liam had anticipated. But it never crossed his mind that he'd have to be doing it alone, he always imagined having one hand being comforted by the grasp of Theo's.

"I... I'm... Well, the thing is... It's a funny story actually-"

"Oh my God, Liam, confessions can wait. Go after him!" Mason butted in, somewhat saving him.

"Right, but the thing is-" Liam never usually procrastinated and wasn't one to run from his problems, but with Theo it was different. He'd never felt so terrified yet thrilled to be around someone and it left him feeling weak and incomplete without him. It scared him and he didn't like it.

"Liam, I swear to God, if you don't go after him, I will." Everyone looked at Stiles, stunned by his none sarcastic input in anything to do with Theo.

"You'll- W-What?" Liam frowned, trying his best to read the boy across the room.

"I've literally watched Theo like a hawk whenever I'm around him since he came back - it really didn't take long to figure out why he was always watching you and why you were always watching him. Honestly, it was just a matter of time before one of you stopped being so oblivious or slipped up." Stiles shrugged. Everyone was speechless.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Scott, finally, piped up.

"Blackmail," Stiles said nonchalantly. Malia snorted, then covered her mouth apologetically when everyone (excluding Stiles) glared at her in disappointment.

"Anyway," Lydia shook off the unsurprising confession from her boyfriend, "go out there, I don't think he's left yet."

Liam forced a smile then left the animal clinic before giving himself the chance to doubt his decision.

•

Luckily, Theo hadn't left yet. He was sat in his truck struggling to get it to start. It's like all cars in Beacon Hills hated working. Theo noticed Liam when he was halfway across the parking lot, he sighed and turned the ignition off then rolled down his window.

"If I remember the pattern correctly, now's the time you're supposed to remind me of how awful of a person I am." Theo smiled smugly, then dropped the expression to a miserable straight face.

"I'm sorry, okay? Is that what you need me to say, because I'll say it, I'll say it a thousand times if that's what you want. Please, just tell me what you need me to do and I'll do it."

"Anything?" An eyebrow quirked up.

"Anything," He replied without a trace of hesitancy.

Theo's focus fell back to the entrance of the clinic, Liam followed his gaze and saw each of the pack members watching then scrambling to get inside after being caught. They looked back to one another. "Then stay away from me," Theo said coldly and turned the ignition on, this time it started with one attempt and Theo pulled out of his spot.

Liam took a few steps forwards, "Theo, please, I need you!" As soon as he spoke he wished he hadn't. The simple words, with a not-so-simple meaning, stung Theo like a poison and he hated himself even more for it. His eyes flinched shut and hands tighten on the steering wheel, it was torture for Liam to watch. Then he forced his eyes open and looked at Liam in a way he'd never looked at him before. It wasn't the eyes of someone who wanted to kill him nor of someone who hated him, but of someone who never wanted to be associated with him ever again. And it felt significantly worse. Because Liam could deal with hate, they'd gotten past it before, but disassociation hurt like being burnt alive - with the fire being lit to the heart than having to wait the slow, painful death out.

"Why would someone like you need someone like me?" And with those sharp words, Liam was crushed. And he knew, more than anyone, that he deserved it.

Theo drove away without looking back.

Liam didn't want to see his friends again, not for a while, but he knew someone would protest that his awareness of Monroe was vital. So he found his feet pushing towards the door before he was ready. When he finally did face the clinic, everyone had remained but now staring with pity.

"Liam-" He shook his head, knowing that he wasn't the one that should be given the comfort, and Scott obeyed.

"I can kill him if you want." Again, Malia was served glares from - almost - everyone.

"No, that's the opposite of what I want." His voice came at a low grumble that seemed more to himself.

Then Liam had a sudden rupture of confidence and certainty - he didn't know where it came from, but he sure as hell wasn't going to waste it. "Look... I don't know what I am, but I also don't really care at the moment." Everyone's eyes glued to his and his confidence started to slip away. He couldn't stop though; last time he backtracked due to anxiety he lost the person he needed most. "All I know is that I like Theo... a lot. And I don't care what any of you guys think or say: it won't stop me from trying to get him back." It was like everyone could see through Liam's demeanour and he felt more vulnerable than ever. "So, if anyone does have anything bad to say, not that I'll listen, say something now or keep it to yourself."

No one spoke for what Liam had counted as years. Not even an eye batted shut for more than point seconds. And, for the second time that day, he questioned whether it was real. He didn't know if he'd actually said anything since coming over, and the rest of the pack started to pick up on that.

"I think," Finally, someone spoke up, though Melissa was one of the last people Liam would guess to be first, "that you've had a very positive impact on Theo and that you two'd make a great couple if it comes to it."

The weight that had been tied to him lightened on his chest.

"Together you two killed Scott," And the cloudy skies that had begun to clear became showers of past regrets as Derek reminded him of another mistake he'd made with the force of young love behind him, "a true alpha... you know how hard that's supposed to be? It's obvious you two work well together."

Well, he most definitely wasn't expecting the point to end like that.

"I still don't like him and I probably never will..." All eyes shifted from Liam and Derek to Malia at an instance, "but, if he makes you happy, I won't try to kill him every time he comes in a room."

He knew it was the best he was going to get from her.

"We just want you to be happy, Liam." Lydia pulled her signature motherly smile at him, it suited her.

"And if Theo's what makes you happy then we won't stop you." Scott chimed in.

And with that, Liam knew that everyone not only accepted who he was but, in one way or another, who he wanted. No one else needed to say a word, it was an unspoken gift through their supporting smiles and nods to Lydia and Scott's concluded words.

Liam was content with how everyone handled the news for a second. Before noticing one person, in particular, stayed uncharacteristically quiet. "Stiles?" Everyone collaboratively knew it would most likely end badly and watched for Stiles' response, mentally pleading his acceptance.

He sighed like he knew it was coming, "What?"

"Stiles..." The desperation in Scott's voice matched Liam's eyes.

"I don't like him," Stiles muttered to their alpha, acting like no one could hear them - even with their supernatural hearing abilities.

"Then you can work through your differences or learn to accept them."

"Learn to accept- I have learnt to accept them! I hate him and he hates me." Stiles crosses his arms, easily becoming riled up.

"But..." Scott urged. He nodded to his beta, who'd needed to stop watching. Stiles softened.

"But..." Liam perked up, "if you're certain he isn't trying to kill anyone or do anything evil anymore, then I won't get in your way... As long as you aren't making out every three seconds, like with Hayden."

The pack nodded in unison and Liam's cheeks flushed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Come back tomorrow for the next and final chapter 💙


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... 300+ hits in less than 48 hours... I am truly speechless, thank you all so much.

"God, men are hard," Liam groaned into his hands.

After another three days of one-sided contact with Theo, he decided to seek help from pack members a few years older. They're Theo's age, they must have known something he didn't. He did wish Lydia was there too though.

"Tell me about it," Malia sighed. Scott and Stiles shot her questioned looks, she gave a small laugh of innocence and nerves then diverted her eyes.

"Anyway..." Scott faced Liam again from across the table that sat in the kitchen of his house, as the boy lifted his head to see.

"Why don't you do something, like a big gesture? Actions speak a lot louder-" Stiles started.

"I'm gonna stop you right there, Mason said the same thing to me before I came up with the plan to kiss him in front of everyone." Liam's head filled with regret and humiliation.

"Okay... Then why not do something, but in private?" Scott suggested. Liam couldn't help it. He physically couldn't help it. But a smirk formed on his lips as his mind raced through all the things they could do in... _private._

"Ew, no, not like that! No _"private"._ In fact, I'll come with you to make sure that the _"private"_ does not happen." Stiles' hyperactive self reacted before Liam could retract his expression.

"Why don't you just tell him how you feel? No plan or big gestures, just explain everything," Malia said. The three boys looked at her as if she were crazy. "I mean, he was with the dread doctors since he was a kid, right? So, I'm sure no one's told him they liked him in a long time."

"Yes, but then why not _show_ him that Liam likes him?" Stiles clearly didn't seem to be giving up on his idea of how _"Thiam"_ (the ship name that Mason had begun calling them, for everyone to then jump onto the bandwagon of doing so) should get together.

"Because Theo's been raised to manipulate people, so I doubt Liam was the first to randomly kiss him. It has to be special and seem like it actually means something." Malia shrugged, though she knew she knew what she was talking about. Any girl would.

"Yeah, she's right. My mom said something similar to me a few years ago about Allison: _women love words_."

"Theo's not a woman." Liam felt the need to remind them.

"But he's still human," Malia protested - he could tell she was biting back her tongue from taking back the argument. Stiles obnoxiously scoffed and Liam glared at him, protective of the person who's not his. "Look, you told Theo that you couldn't be with him because of Scott, then you tried to fix it by kissing him in front of us. But that's where you went wrong, by acting and not talking. Actions counteract actions like words counteract words."

"What d'you mean?" Scott frowned at his girlfriend.

"Well, say I crashed the jeep. I could apologise, but that wouldn't really be enough, so instead, I should pay for it to be fixed. Or, in Liam's case, say I told you I thought you were a bad person and that you weren't worth the trouble," Liam visibly deflated, "then I shouldn't try and kiss you in front of everyone - because it'd be like ignoring the problem. What I should do is apologise, tell you that you aren't a bad person and that you are worth the troubles." Malia's a lot smarter than had Liam thought and he realised that he didn't need Lydia there to be correctly advised.

 _Actions counteract actions like words counteract words._ Liam had never felt so foolish. Thanks to Malia, he knew what he had to do and he had to do it right away.

Liam's chair shrieked as he pushed himself off. Without a word to either of his three friends, he ran out of the house. He passed Lydia outside.

"Hey, where are you going? I brought a lot of food!" She called.

He momentarily stopped to face her, "Well, if this goes right you'll have another two mouths to feed."

•

"I like you... I like _you_ ... _I_ like you... I _like_ you..." Liam cringed more each time as he practised the words in his bathroom mirror. He knew Malia said to not plan anything, but he also knew that he didn't want to look more stupid than he already did. He didn't think it was a big deal to try it out whilst making the necessary stop at his house.

Liam needed to find Theo and in order to do so he needed his scent; he practically knew it by heart, but he wanted to be sure. So, he got his shirt, that he'd worn to the last pack meeting, out of the laundry and followed the scent to where it would lead him.

Liam borrowed his mom's car, though he soon wished he hadn't since believing he could've run faster than the speed limit and the distance wasn't as far as he'd predicted. The drive was only fifteen minutes. It was a long fifteen minutes to Liam.

The scent reached the park he'd spoken to Mason at and he got out. The same three children were inside, but this time Liam spotted the familiar blue truck parked in the lot with him. He knew the boy was too Theo-like.

It was a more acceptable time for the children to be at the park, but Liam still didn't understand why Theo would be one of them. He stalked across the large field and got halfway when he no longer needed his supernatural senses to recognise Theo. Liam read the confusion on his face when he must have caught his scent; he was further away then he thought he'd have to be. Theo looked up and saw him, as he pushed the gate open.

"What are you doing here?" He sat at the same swing he'd been on last time and Liam guessed it was a regular occurrence that he went there with the two girls.

"I could ask you the same thing." Liam was so used to their defensive attitudes towards the other that his mouth answered before his head could.

Theo rolled his eyes and went back to scrolling through his phone. Liam sat on the swing next to him and studied the boys face until he could think of the right words to say.

"Why did you smell different?" Again, he procrastinated when it came to talking about his feelings for the chimera sat next to him.

"What?" He frowned.

"The other day, when we were supposed to meet up, Mason and I came here and I thought I could see you but you smelt... off. Why?" Liam followed Theo's gaze down to his hand and found an unlit cigarette. "You don't smoke."

"Yeah, well, when the only person I've ever cared about broke my heart I needed something to fall back onto," Theo said bitterly as he got a lighter out of the pocket of his jacket. He brought the cigarette to his lips and lit the end, then returning the lighter to its original place.

"What about those kids? Do you really think their parents would be okay with you puffing cancer sticks around them?" Liam didn't know why he cared so much. Cigarettes couldn't affect him or Theo and he knew the children weren't close enough to breathe it in, but the habit was still disgusting to him.

"Those kids mother was the person to give me my first cigarette."

Liam let his eyes fall from Theo for the first time since getting out the car and looked at the girls. Closer up, Liam could tell that the older of the two was about thirteen and the other four. The small one was on the monkey bars again and he was reminded of how mad he was when first noticing.

"She's too short!" Liam stood and pointed at her then looked back to Theo disapprovingly. Theo scanned him up and down then arched an eyebrow. "She could get hurt."

"She's better at it then I am, she can handle it." He dragged out a puff of his cigarette as they watched them play.

Liam's arm dropped lazily and he sat back down, "Who are they?"

"Annie's the Liam-sized one, though the difference is she hasn't finished growing since she's only five," Liam scoffed, but he'd actually missed Theo's snarky comments, "and the taller one's Gwen, she's thirteen."

"How do you know them?"

"Why do you care?" _Because I care about you,_ it could have been the perfect segway into the conversation he'd showed up to have, but he wasn't ready to risk not talking to him again. Instead, he shrugged. "I look after them for a few hours after school and some weekends, because both of their parents work a lot."

"Why?" It was a stupid question and he knew it, but Theo acted like it wasn't.

"Good pay, good kids." The older girl noticed their eyes on them and took out her phone to go on, instead of pushing down the slide. Liam would have worried that he'd gotten Theo in trouble if it weren't for the slight pick up in her heart and pink that covered her cheeks. He wondered if Theo had cared to notice it before or if it was new.

"Why you?" Liam's heart too picked up when Theo's stare pinned him accusingly, "I mean, why you and not a professional?"

Theo shrugged, "Apparently, they misbehave a lot and everyone they've had before quit. But they've been fine for me."

"Probably because you're hot." Liam looked Theo dead in the eye with a straight expression then back to the girls. He didn't allow himself to stutter or turn red, he wanted to seem confident in what he's saying for once - and he would have too if it weren't for his heart spiking through his chest.

Theo's phone pinged and he laughed then typed out a message. Liam wished he was the one making him produce such a beautiful noise.

"Looks like I'm not the one they have a crush on." He showed his phone screen to Liam and he saw a message from Gwen.

**Is that Liam??**   
**You're boyfriend's hot!**

**He's not my boyfriend, but I know.**

**Can I have him then!?**

**Definitely not.**

Liam didn't know what to feel. Whether to be flattered that not only has Theo mentioned him enough for them to remember but also called him hot or to be uncomfortable that a thirteen-year-old thinks he's hot and would, supposedly, try to get him if it weren't for Theo.

"Theo, you bitch!" They looked up to see Gwen frowning at him jokingly, still at the top of the slide. "You weren't supposed to expose us!"  
  
"Us? No, I'm fine, I just pushed you under the bus." Theo grinned at her.

"She's allowed to swear?" Liam whispered.

"She is when she's with me." And then it made sense why they didn't misbehave whilst with Theo. Liam wouldn't intervene though, he trusted him to obey more necessary rules.

"Can you push me on the swing, please?" A quieter, sweeter voice came from the other side of Liam and he found Annie, he recalled, peering up at him.

"Sorry, sweetheart, he's not tall enough," Theo nodded sorrowfully, "I'll push you though, come here."

"Oh, fuck you," Liam scoffed and pushed Theo playfully, ignoring the fluttering in his stomach at the pet name for Annie. Theo smirked back. "Of course I'll push you."

Liam got up and Annie hopped into his place. He stood behind her swing and began to pull back slightly. His fingers loosened as Theo stood up too.

"Don't be a pussy, do it higher." You'd think Theo was the one on the swing by his reaction.

"She's five!"

"And a half!" Annie prodded.

"And a half." Theo smiled smugly. Liam rolled his eyes but pulled back further anyway.

"Theoooo," Gwen announced her presence, "can you push me, pleeease?"

"No, you're thirteen, you can do it yourself." Gwen's eyes batted to Liam then back to him and she raised her eyebrows.

"Don't make me repeat things you'll wish you never said," Gwen sang.

"Try me." A mischievous smile grew on Gwen and she turned to Liam, who was still watching inquisitively as he pushed Annie - gradually letting it get lower.

"Theo once said that he'd-" Her mouth was soon covered by Theo's hand.

"You know what, I really don't trust you enough for this."

•

It was 7 pm by the time Theo had to take them home, which was early for them - according to Gwen. Liam went with them, per the girls' request, Theo didn't seem mad about it, but discomfort and invasion could be seen on him from a mile away.

Gwen unbuckled herself before Theo had a chance to park and undid part of Annie's car seat then tried to pull her out. The momentum was stopped by Annie's legs still being strapped in.

"Slow down, we're not in a rush," Theo checked the time on his phone, "for anything, we're early for once."

"Yeah, but there's this show that I want to watch," Gwen said as she tried to find where the buckles were.

"Okay, well, let me help and we can go in and watch." Theo unclipped his seatbelt and started opening his door.

"No!" Gwen leapt forwards and pulled his door shut, then pressing down the pin that locked it. Theo frowned down at her. "Heh." She smiled nervously.

"What the hell is going on with you?"

"It's just- It's a really girly show, like really girly, and you won't like it. At all." She insisted and lent back into the backseat to get Annie out of the straps she was struggling to push off of herself.

"Okay..." The two boys watched Gwen fiddle with the buckles from the front seats. "Here, just let me-" Theo reached forwards to press down the clips that were keeping Annie hostage - that Gwen was yet to notice. She hit his hand away when it got too close.

"No! I can do it."

"Stop being a bitch and let me help!"

"No, you stop being a bitch and let me do something myself for once!" The two began yelling at one and other, both getting louder with each stupid point. And Liam then realised that he'd never met someone so similar to Theo than the thirteen-year-old girl sat behind him. It was funny until he remembered about Annie.

"Guys, can we please stop swearing in front of a five-year-old!"

"Bitch! Bitch! Bitch!" Annie then started chanting. Theo and Gwen instantaneously stopped shouting and looked at Annie, then burst out laughing. Liam sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, as he held in his laughter.

Gwen soon let Theo help with the car seat then got out of the truck. She paused at the front door and got out her phone to begin typing. Less than thirty seconds later, Theo's phone went off. He got it out of his jacket and turned the screen on. Liam couldn't see what it said.

"God, that fucking girl..." He mumbled and put the phone away. "You want me to give you a ride home?" He looked up at Liam. Theo had suddenly become tense within the short time the girls had left the truck and Liam was reminded that they, still, weren't on good terms.

"I'm sorry," He spluttered out.

"What?"

"I'm sorry for kissing you, but only the second time because the first was great. I mean they were both great, but the second time was to counteract words when I should have just spoken to you. Because, like Malia said, words counteract words like actions counteract actions-" He couldn't stop, each word followed the other without giving him a chance to close his mouth. God, he was a lot worse at talking to Theo about his feelings then he thought.

"Wait, Liam, slow down." Theo interrupted, watching him as if he was insane. He sucked a deep breath in and nodded.

"I'm sorry for telling you that we shouldn't have kissed, I'm glad we did, it was the wake-up call that I clearly needed. And I'm sorry for everything I said that day, I didn't mean any of it - I know this isn't a good enough excuse, nothing will be, but it was because I was scared because it was you. And I don't mean I was scared that it was you because you're a bad person or because of the bad blood that's still kind of there with you and the pack: I realised that I don't care what anyone of them thinks and nothing they say can stop me from wanting to be with you. But it was because you're perfect for me and I was terrified of screwing that up... I know, it's ironic... I'm also sorry for not finding a way to come talk to you earlier, I just thought you needed time. So I tried to get you to forgive me in a way that Corey would forgive Mason when I should've been thinking about you. I get it if you don't like me anymore, I probably wouldn't like me either, but if you still want to be with me then, I promise, next time I'll talk to you first..." Liam froze when he ran out of things to say, he was satisfied with his apology but was already planning out what else to say if Theo wasn't.

"So you really plan on doing stuff like this again in our relationship?" He raised his eyebrows, smiling at Liam.

"Well, no, not on purpose. But you know that I can't help- you mess up too! You always-" Then it sunk in what Theo was trying to get across. "Wait, so you forgive me? We're together?"

"Yes, dumbass." Theo grabbed onto the front of Liam's t-shirt and pulled him into a kiss that was very long overdue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the wild story of how these two hopeless idiots in love got together is over... Or is it?
> 
> I'm considering adding another chapter to this, of the next pack meeting and having everyone's reactions to Thiam finally getting together - but I'll leave that up to you guys. If you want it, I'll write it. Although, if you do, I doubt it'll be up for a few days (since I do have to plan then write it and school starts tomorrow for me, so I'll have less free time).
> 
> But if I don't add another chapter, this will not be the last of my crapy Thiam fics on ao3! I have many ideas that I can't wait to explore, so stay tuned... :)
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed, it was a lot of fun to write and everyone's responses were/are very much appreciated!


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